1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a window covering, and more particularly to a safety cord release of a window covering.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a cord-operated window covering is equipped with two or more cords to balance the force to fold and unfold a window covering blanket or slats thereof. Take a window covering with two cords for example, free ends of the cords are coupled by a cord release, and the cord release is connected with another operating cord for manipulation. FIG. 1 shows a conventional cord release 1, which has two symmetrical cases 2 and 3 with their bottom ends connected to each other. The case 2 has two hooks 2a, and the case 3 has two openings 3a to be engaged with the hooks 2a that the cases 2 and 3 are combined to couple the cords. However, the cases 2 and 3 are opened only when one exerts a great force to disengage the hooks 2a and the openings 3a. It may cause danger for children who play the cords and children might be strangulated by the cords before disengagement and open of the cord release.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional cord release 5 which includes three cases 6 combined together by flexible hooks 6a and slots 6b. Each case 6 has the hook 6a and the slot 6b on opposite side to be engaged with the corresponding slots 6b and hooks 6a of the neighboring cases 6.
When a child is strangulated by the cords and struggles to get away, the cords will be pulled outwards respectively to disengage the hooks 6a from the slots 6b that the cases 6 are opened to release the cords, and the child may get away from the cords.
The hooks 6a and the slots 6b are adjacent to tops of the cases 6 and they are at the same level that the hooks 6a and the slots 6b need to be disengaged at the same time in order to open the cord release 5. For instance, suppose a predetermined force is needed to disengage a pair of the hook 6a from the slot 6b, it needs 3 times the strength of the force to open the three cases 6. Furthermore, the cord release 5 may not be totally opened when an unbalanced force is exerted to the cords that only one case 6 is disengaged and the rest two are still engaged together. In this condition, the cords may not be released that they may still cause danger. In other word, the conventional cord releases still need to be improved.